Sacked AAP MLA Sandeep Kumar sent to 14-day judicial custody

New Delhi: Sacked Delhi Minister and AAP MLA Sandeep Kumar, arrested on rape charges on the complaint of a woman, was today sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court.

Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry remanded 36-year-old Kumar to judicial custody till 23 September after the Delhi Police submitted he was not required for custodial interrogation. Police sought judicial custody of the MLA, who was produced before the court on expiry of his one-day police remand, to conduct fair investigation and prevent the accused from tampering with evidence.

File image of former AAP leader Sandeep Kumar. PTI

The police, which had on Thursday got extended Kumar's police custody by a day to recover the original electronic device used for making the alleged objectionable video, said it could not be recovered.

Meanwhile, advocate Pradeep Rana, appearing for Kumar, claimed there was a threat to the MLA's life in jail and he should be provided special armed guards and a separate cell during judicial custody.

To this, the court forwarded the application to the jail superintendent directing him to consider it as per the prison manual. During the hearing, the police responded to another plea moved by the defence counsel alleging that he was illegally arrested and the probe agency had not given any ground for doing so.

The police said Kumar was arrested on the basis of incriminating evidence collected against him. The prosecution had earlier argued that Kumar was not cooperating in the probe.

Kumar was arrested on 3 September after a woman had approached Sultanpuri police station in North Delhi complaining of sexual harassment against the former Social Welfare and Women and Child Development minister, following which a case was filed. The woman had figured in an objectionable video with him.

Kumar has been booked under sections 376 (rape), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit an offence) of IPC, under section 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act) of IT Act and Section 7 (public servant taking gratification for an official act) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

In her complaint, the woman has alleged that about 11 months ago, she was raped by Kumar when she had gone to his office in Outer Delhi's Sultanpuri area seeking help to obtain a ration card.

Kumar was removed from AAP government on 31 August by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the CD surfaced. The MLA from Sultanpur Majra had surrendered before the investigators at the office of DCP (Outer) in Pitampura, where his statement was recorded.

Soon after the controversy, the MLA had defended himself, saying he has been targeted. Kumar's wife has also come out in support of her husband, claiming that he was "falsely implicated" in the scandal.